Introducing “Trauma” in the School Reality of the History Lesson: The Example of the Holocaust

Abstract

The Holocaust didn’t happen in a day. It was an escalating process which led to one of the most horrific crimes in human history. The intensive study of the Holocaust which began at the end of the 20^th century gave rise to the study of other cases of “traumatic memory” and historical aspects that are usually neglected. The development of technology and the introduction of history into the public sphere of the media has led to a “memory explosion”. Regarding the teaching of “traumatic events” it is approached superficially and, in many cases, contradicts the set teaching goals. Therefore, it is necessary to restructure the existing situation. This article aims to study the inclusion of the Holocaust in school reality analyzing the historical events and definitions around if as well as the concepts of “memory” and “trauma” in History Education.